Dislike: Meet The Lobbyists Facebook Hired To Help The Government Spy On You

Following the defeat of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), lobbyists for Big Business have been very careful when writing and promoting legislation that drastically curtails Internet freedoms.

Now, various corporations have gotten together to push for the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA. Proponents of the bill are saying that it is about “cybersecurity” and protecting Americans. But the bill gives wide room for abuse. It allows the government, private security agencies, or private corporations to share “cyber threat” information — which can be your personal and private information — with each other without even telling you they’re doing it and with complete legal immunity.

Unlike SOPA, a number of major tech giants support CISPA. One of these is Facebook. Facebook employs a number of lobbying firms in Washington, and according to documents reviewed by Republic Report, the firm handling lobbying for CISPA is Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock. We’ve created a rundown of the lobbyists at the firm who are trying to dramatically expand the power of private corporations and the government to spy on you online. Each of these lobbyists has filed reports about their lobbying for CISPA.

Mark Isakowitz: Isakowitz is the President of the firm, and previously managed the lobbying team of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). CNN Money profiled him in 2003, detailing how he threatened lawmakers with $4 million worth of ads if they didn’t vote his way.

Aleix Jarvis: Jarvis is the Revolving Door defined. He previously worked for Congressman Charles Taylor (R) of his home state of North Carolina, and then spent 10 years working for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina. After a stint with the Republican National Committee, Jarvais joined the lobbying firm where he works now. In addition to helping Facebook empower the government and corporations to spy on you, he has also worked for oil giant BP, Apple, and JP Morgan Chase.

Kirk Blalock: Blalock, an Atlanta, Georgia native, also has taken his turn through the Revolving Door. After a stint at the Bush White House, he joined the firm and has taken on all sorts of corporate clients who want a chance at government largesse. He has represented everyone from Time Warner to the National Pork Producers Council.

Billy Piper: Piper previously worked for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). He cashes out on his 9 years of government service by lobbying for Big Pharma, among other clients.

Mike Chappell: Chappell spent a few years working for Congress before cashing out and working for the lobbying firm since 2003. “Chappell’s excellent political and legislative skills have been matched by his ability to attract and maintain top notch business, and that combination has earned him his partner status,” said Blalock when the firm welcomed Chappell on as a partner.

What’s particularly interesting about all of these individuals is that every single one previously worked somewhere in the executive or legislative branches of the Federal government. They were paid by taxpayers to get the training and connections that now allow them to have high-paid lobbying jobs representing corporations.

As one consultant who worked on SOPA — former Clinton advisor Doug Sosnik — said at a conference of for-profit colleges I attended a few months ago, the reason why that legislation failed is because the entertainment industry that was pushing it had little support at the grassroots level and was facing a huge outside-of-Washington backlash. With corporations spending big money to enact CISPA, similar citizen engagement is needed to ensure a fair democratic process and a result that protects the public interest.

SOPA wasn’t a defeat, it was only a temporary set back and this proves it. It’s always amusing (for lack of a better term) to see how time and again, the corporations and their servant the government, use the Nazi tactics of propaganda, brainwashing, etc. over and over again. In case there were any doubts as to which way the Empire is headed. The signs are everywhere from the smallest to the most the egregious of actions.

Guest

You couldn’t be more correct. They never go away.
They have honed all they do w/ think tanks, lobbyists, issues, legislators, spinmiesters, & a host of behind the scene collaborators, for 30 years. Using Koch $, Powell memo’s, Frank Luntz’s focus groups & think speak they have done a remarkable job of implementing the Dominionists ideology. They have captured:
Government
Banks, insurance companies & all corporate
Media: TV, Cable & especially radio.
Churches
Schools
Courts
I don’t have a lot of faith they can be defeated.

With the Banksters stealing themselves into a corner and the economy worse than ever, what else are these vampires going to do but continue to prey on whatever commodity remains? They will try to destroy anyone and everything before they loose one ounce of power. Our precious freedom paid for in the dearest of blood is one of the best selling commodities. Of course they can pay for your enslavement, all they have to do is counterfeit more money and render your savings account and investments worthless. They have to get control of the internet before they can create the mass deception required to completely destroy this nation. The soldiers have turned to Ron Paul, the semi rich are petrified, and the poor slaves are sick and dying. Take it back. Being their bosses was and is FIRST priority. It is not by chance that you don’t think there’s anything you can do. They told you this.

Republic Report is dedicated to rooting out the corruption that is so corrosive to American values. We investigate and uncover the buying and selling of politicians and of institutions entrusted with upholding the public interest. We expose how big money distorts major policy decisions – harming our economy and our people.